Food-dicing device and method of use

ABSTRACT

In food preparation in which a starting salad of ingredients of a purchased size are reduced to bite-size by dicing, rather than slicing, and use is made of a scissors-type device which uses a cutting knife urged in one direction and a food-supporting scoop urged in an opposite direction to make a chopped salad.

[0001] In the preparation of food for consumption, and particularly salads, the traditional ingredients such as lettuce, carrots, greens and other fruits and vegetables are reduced from their purchase-size to bite-size condition usually by slicing on a flat cutting board, which has the drawback of being tedious and time consuming, and the present invention significantly contributes to improving this salad-preparation chore.

EXAMPLES OF THE PRIOR ART

[0002] Prior patented food-slicing means abound in the literature as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,011 for “SLICING DEVICE FOR ROUNDED FOOD ARTICLES” issued to Jones on Mar. 13, 1984, U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,607 for “FOOD SLICER” issued to Maillez on Dec. 2, 1986, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,512 for “APPARATUS TO SUPPORT A FRUIT OR VEGETABLE ON A SPHERIAL SURFACE AND TO SLICE IT WITH A SINGLE STROKE” issued to Ertmer on Dec. 27, 1994, to mention but a few. Reducing salad ingredients' size by successive slicing is by nature repetitious and thus provokes a feeling of tedium and, in some degree is self-defeating in that it produces plural slices in disarray on the flat cutting board requiring time-consuming gathering and handling in the completion of the salad preparation chore.

[0003] Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art.

[0004] More particularly it is an object to minimize the tedium of salad preparation by substituting preparation by direct dicing instead of repetitious successive slicing to achieve reduction to bite-size salad ingredients' condition, this achievement being a consequence of a cutting means scissors operating mode implemented entirely within the confines of a salad mixing bowl, all as will be better understood as the description proceeds.

[0005] The description of the invention which follows, together with the accompanying drawings should not be construed as limiting the invention to the example shown and described, because those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains will be able to devise other forms thereof within the ambit of the appended claims.

[0006]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a food-dicing device in accordance with the present invention; and

[0007]FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the food-dicing device used as intended in the preparation of a chopped salad.

[0008] As shown in FIG. 1, the within inventive food-dicing device, generally designated 10, constructionwise consists of a cooperating scissors-like pair of an operable first member 12 and of an operable second member 14, each having, respectively, a first end 16 and a second end 18 at opposite locations of a linear expanse 20 of the members 12, 14, and a pivot means 22 interconnecting the members at an approximate medial location of the linear expanse 20, which permits opposite direction pivotal transverses, as noted by the arrows 24 and 26, against spring urgency 28 in response to operation of a handgrip 30 on member 12 and a handgrip 32 on member 14, the latter having a cutting knife means 34 in depending relation, and the former a scoop 36 in a semi-circular configuration in ascending facing relation to the cutting knife means 34, which pivotal traversing operation urges the cutting knife means 34 in descending movement 38 and the scoop 36 in ascending movement 40, or alternate closing and opening movements in relation to each other in each cycle of pivotal traverse 24 and 26.

[0009] In conjunction with the operating mode as just described, and as best understood from FIG. 2, food-dicing device 10 is effective in preparing a chopped salad of appropriate selected salad ingredients, such as lettuce, carrots, peppers and the like, placed initially in larger than bite-sized condition, as noted at 42, in a bowl 44, wherein the chopped salad is characterized by reduction in size of the ingredients 42 to a bite-sized condition, as noted at 46.

[0010] The reduction or chopping of the bowl ingredients 42 into the chopped salad size 46 is the result of the operating mode pivotal traverses 24 and 26, and the movements 38 and 40 which brings the cutting knife means 34 into cutting engagement with the salad ingredients in the scoop 36, an engagement which is increased by stirring movement, as noted by arrow 48, of the device 10 within the mixing and preparation bowl 44, which varies the deployment of the salad ingredients in the scoop 36 to a cutting plane, as noted at 50, to the cutting knife means 34.

[0011] Depending on the angular orientation of the device 10 determines the angular orientation of the plane 50, namely, a vertically oriented cutting plane with the device 10 vertically oriented as illustrated in FIG. 2, and a horizontally oriented plane 50 with the device oriented horizontally as illustrated in FIG. 1, and angular orientations at other subtended angles in between the noted horizontal and vertical orientations of the device 10.

[0012] The cutting knife means 34 striking the scoop 36 defaces the surface appearance of the scoop, and thus shallow recesses 52 of not more than 1 mm. in depth are provided to mask the defacement.

[0013] While the food-dicing device for practicing the described method, as well as the method as shown and disclosed in detail are fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that they are merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the detail of construction or operating mode herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A food-dicing device and method of preparing a chopped salad therewith: said food-dicing device comprising: A. a cooperating scissors-like pair of an operable first member and of an operable second member each having a first end and a second end at opposite locations of a linear expanse of each said members; B. a pivot means interconnecting said members at a medial location of said linear expanse so as to permit pivotal transverses about said pivot means; C. a hand grip integral to said first ends of said members for urging said members in said pivotal traverses; D. cutting knife means integral in depending relation on said second end of said first operable member; and E. a scoop in a semi-circular configuration integral on said second end of said second operable member in facing relation to said cutting knife means; and said method of preparing said chopped salad comprising the steps of: F. selecting for said salad ingredients preliminarily in larger than bite-sized condition; G. placing said selected salad ingredients in said scoop; H. alternately operating in the nature of a scissors said first and second members using said handgrips thereon in pivotal transverses to simultaneously: (1) urge in ascending movement said scoop with said selected salad ingredients therein, and (2) urge in descending movement said cutting knife means into cutting engagement with said ascending moving-salad ingredients. I. during intervals between said pivotal transverses stirring with said scoop said bite-sized salad ingredients to vary the deployment of said salad ingredients in said scoop to a plane of descent of said cutting knife means; and J. a repeating of a carrying as deemed necessary of diced bite-sized salad ingredients upon said scoop to a site of use and emptying said scoop thereat; whereby a chopped salad is prepared of diced ingredients.
 2. A food-dicing device and method of preparing a chopped salad therewith: said food-dicing device comprising: A. a cooperating scissors-like pair of an operable first member and of an operable second member each having a first end and a second end at opposite locations of a linear expanse of each said members; B. a pivot means interconnecting said members at a medial location of said linear expanse so as to permit pivotal transverses about said pivot means; C. a hand grip integral to said first ends of said members for urging said members in said pivotal traverses; D. cutting knife means integral in depending relation on said second end of said first operable member; and E. a scoop in a semi-circular configuration integral on said second end of said second operable member in facing relation to said cutting knife means; and said method of preparing said chopped salad comprising the steps of: F. selecting for said salad ingredients preliminarily in larger than bite-sized condition; G. placing said selected salad ingredients in said scoop; H. alternately operating in the nature of a scissors said first and second members using said handgrips thereon in pivotal transverses to simultaneously: (1) urge in a selected first directional movement said scoop with said selected salad ingredients therein, and (2) urge in a selected second opposite directional movement said cutting knife means into cutting engagement with said moving-salad ingredients. I. during intervals between said pivotal transverses stirring with said scoop said bite-sized salad ingredients to vary the deployment of said salad ingredients in said scoop to a plane of movement of said cutting knife means; and J. a repeating of a carrying as deemed necessary of diced bite-sized salad ingredients upon said scoop to a site of use and emptying said scoop thereat; whereby a chopped salad is prepared of diced ingredients. 